Method of and means for manufacturing metal wheels



(No Model.)

B. P. LYNCH.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING METAL WHEELS. No. 434,990.Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

fl RIIHHHWHW M M! F o o v Q P 1% W I o 0 JV 1 0 17:1 1 I O 0 i J a o 0 e1 Jul/enlar- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDXVARD P. LYNCH, OF DAVENPORT, IOVA.

' METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING METAL WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,990, dated August26, 1890.

' Application filed November 29, 1889. Serial No. 331,856. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. LYNCH, of Davenport, in the county ofScott and State of Iowa, have invented certain Improvements in theMethod of and Means for Manufacturing Metal Wheels, of which thefollowing is a specification.

At the present day wheels are constructed with cast-metal hubs havingradial mortises or sockets in which the ends of metal spokes are seatedand held by frictional contact with the walls of the mortises. Thiscontact is secured by forcing the spoke under great pressure into aslightly-smaller mortise, or by inserting the spoke loosely into themortise and then enlarging or upsetting its end therein by pressure orblows applied endwise of the spoke. The force required to insure asufficiently-tight fit is very great. As the spokes and mortisesunavoidably vary in size, it frequently happens that the pressure orblow of the spoke-setting machine is, on the onehand, insufficient toproperly upset and fasten the spoke, or is, 011 the other hand, soexcessive thatthe spoke fractures the hub if of ordinary castsiron, orstretches it, if of malleable iron. There is therefore a greatuncertainty as to the stability of the finished wheels and a heavy lossof stock and labor in the course of manufacture. So serious are theseevils that it is impracticable, under the ordinary procedure, tosecurely fasten spokes if of other than a round form.

Now the aim of my invention is to overcome the evils named and insurethe certain and secure attachment of every spoke without the slightestdanger of injury to the hub, and particularly to eifect the attachmentof large spokes of elliptic form in cross-section, spokes of this formbeing particularly advantageous in the wheels of hay-rakes and similarmachines, for the reason that they give the wheel sufficient strengthwhen set in a common plane or without being staggered, so that the wheelwill not pick up or wind in the hay, as do those with staggered spokes.

To this end my invention consists in the method of securing the spokes,consisting in firmly clamping or supporting the hub from the outside,then securing the spoke by pressure or blows endwise thereon, andfinally releasing the hub after the completion of the operation.

It also consists in means for clamping the hub and inserting the spokes,as hereinafter explained.

The essence of the present invention resides in the clamping orre-enforcing devices for-temporarily supporting or strengthening the hubthat it may resist the internal pressure of the spoke which tends tofracture or disrupt the hub. These clamping devices may be operated byhand or by automatic connections with the spoke-setting machine, andthey-may be adapted to act around the entire hub at one time or tosupport the hub adjacent to a single socket or mortise at a time.

The means employed for inserting or upsetting the spokes are not inthemselves of the essence of my invention. The machine may be of thecharacter represented in either of the numerous patents to WV. P.Bettendorf.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hubhaving my clamping devices applied thereto, one side being shown insection on the line 00 it of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a face View of one of theclampingringsj Fig. 3 is a plan view of another form of clamp adapted toembrace a single spokesocket. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a machine such asmay be used in the carrying out of my invention. Fig. 5 is a section ofthe same on the line z .2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents an ordinary hubsuch as is nowin common use consisting of a tubular body or hub proper provided with aseries of radially-projecting sockets or necks a, each having a mortiseor opening therein to receive the spoke B.

O and 0' represent two annular clamps or collars adapted to pass overthe opposite ends of the hub and provided in their opposing faces withradial grooves 0, adapted to receive the necks or sockets of the hub.

D is a tubular spindle passed centrally through the hub and the twoclamps, provided at one end with a shoulder d to bear against the clampC, and threaded at the opposite end to receive a nut d, which actsthrough an intervening washer d against the clamp C. By tightening thenut the two clamps are forced toward each other and caused to confinethe spoke sockets or necks tightly between them. In this manner thenecks are externally supported or re-enforced, so thatit is impossiblefor them to be stretched or fractured by the forcible introduction orenlargement of the spokes.

In Fig. 3 I have represented a clamp intended to support or re-enforce asingle spokereceiving socket. It consists of the notched clamp O and thecomplementary clamp G, the latter being extended to surround the clamp Cat one end, and the two being locked tightly upon the neck by a screw 0While the constructions above described answer an excellent purpose, itis to be understood that -my invention includes any clamp or system ofclamps adapted to sup port or confine the necks or sockets at the timethe spokes are being secured therein.

Referring now to the machine represented in Figs. 4 and 5 for securingthe spokes, it is to be noted that it is not separately claimed as of myinvention, being the same as that represented in Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 384,604., patented June 19, 1888, to WV. P.Bettendorf.

In this machine, F represents a main frame sustaining one end of adriving-shaft G, provided with a driving-pulley gand with a pinion g,which imparts motion through a large gear-wheel H to an underlying shaftI. This shaft carries an eccentric J, which in turn carries one end of apitman K, connected at its opposite end to an upright movable post L,intended to receive and sustain the hub of a wheel during thespokesetting operation.

The hub having the clamp applied, as in Fig. 1, is seated onto the post,the central tube D of the clamp being slipped over the upper end of thepost.

M and M represent two jaws lying adjacent to the post L, connected tothe main frame, as shown in Fig. 5, by horizontal pivots m. They areconnected by a link m and jawM' is further connected at its lower end bya pitman m to a collar on a horizontal sliding rod N. This rod ismounted in guides in the main frame and urged in one direction by aspring 0 and in the opposite direction by a cam P, mounted on the shaftI and bearing against a roller in the end of the rod. As the rod ismoved endwise, the angular relation of the pitman to the jaws is varied,so that they are opened and closed.

In operating the machine the hub having the clamp is seated on the postL and a spoke inserted between the open jaws into one of the necks orsocketsof the hub. The jaws are then closed so as to grasp the spokeadjacent to the hub and prevent end mot-ion,

after which the post L swings forward, carrying the hub bodily towardthe jaws, the efli'ect of which is to apply end compression to thespokes and upset or enlarge the same within the socket. The amount ofthe compression thus applied is of course regulated by the length ofmovement of the post L.

It will be observed that the clamping-jaws and the movable post are infact simply means for upsetting the spoke, andconsequentlytheyaresimplythemechanicalequivalent of any other upsettingmechanism which may be used for alike purpose in connection with aspoke, and the hub sustained by the external clamps.

As the upsetting of the spoke may be effected either by a gradualapplication of pressure or by a succession of blows, the expression endpressure as herein employed is intended to include either of theoperations named.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The method ofsecuring metal spokes in metal hubs, consisting in clamping or confiningthe hub externally to prevent its expansion or fracture, and seating thespoke tightly in the mortise by end pressure or blows, and finallyreleasing the hub.

2. A clamp for temporary use on metal wheel-hubs, consisting ofcomplementary annular members recessed in their opposing faces toreceive the sockets of the hubs in whole or part, and a screw orequivalent means for approximating said members to tightly confine thesocket between them.

3. The annular notched clamping members, in combination with theconnecting-tube and the nut applied to the latter.

4:. In a mechanism for securing metal spokes in mortised metal hubs, thecombination of clamping devices to confine and externally support thehub against the expansive influence of a spoke, and means, substantiallyas described and shown, for applying end press- -ure to the spokes tosecure the same in a mortise.

5. In a mechanism forsecuring metal spokes in mortised metal hubs, thecombination of clamps confining and externally supporting the hubadjacent to the sockets, a post or standard to sustain the hub andclamps, jaws to grasp the spoke adjacent to the hub, and means forapproximating the jaws and hubsupport.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 28th day of October,1889, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

EDWARD P. LYNCH.

Witnesses:

FRED A. LEwIs, RAY '1. LEWIs.

